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  • My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises

  • By: Fredrik Backman
  • Narrated by: Joan Walker
  • Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,356 ratings)
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My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises cover art

My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises

By: Fredrik Backman
Narrated by: Joan Walker
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Editor reviews

International best-selling author of A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman, delivers a stunning second novel with My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises, narrated in this audiobook edition by Joan Walker. Young Elsa and her grandmother aren’t like other people. When her grandmother dies Elsa is devastated but she leaves behind an adventure for Elsa to go on which delivers her right into the heart of the fairytales she used to tell her. This book is both tremendously funny and deeply moving – underlying it is the heartbreaking reality of a little girl who struggles to find her place in a world that fears those who are different. Available now from Audible.

Summary

The hilarious, heartbreaking novel by the author of the international best seller A Man Called Ove.

Granny has been telling fairy tales for as long as Elsa can remember. In the beginning they were only to make Elsa go to sleep, to get her to practise Granny's secret language, and a little because Granny is just about as nutty as a granny should be. But lately the stories have another dimension as well. Something Elsa can't quite put her finger on....

Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is 77 years old and crazy. Standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus crazy. She is also Elsa's best and only friend.

At night Elsa runs to her grandmother's stories, to the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas. There everybody is different, and nobody needs to be normal.

So when Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has hurt, it marks the beginning of Elsa's greatest adventure. Her grandmother's letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones - but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises is told with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as Fredrik Backman's best-selling debut novel A Man Called Ove. It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be different.

©2015 Fredrik Backman (P)2015 Hodder & Stoughton

What listeners say about My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises

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Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Irresistible, Funny and Delectable

The book starts off with some laugh-out-humour which makes you think, "hmmm, just what the doctor ordered."
At this point too, I thought, my 12 year old needs to be in on this so, I let him listen to a few chapters and confirmed its a book for both young adults and adults. However, it is not long into the book when the fairly complex and very childlike fairytales seem to take over the real story. And one might be tempted to either skip the parts with the fairytale (which would prove tedious given how intertwined the fairytale parts are with the underlying real story) or give up reading the book altogether on the premise that for adults, the film (when it does come out) would be better tuned to keep adults engaged!!
But, dear readers, hang on and try to follow the tedious fairytales which in fact, you will come to realise, are the life stories that in turn explain the problems/issues faced by the different characters in the book... Sorry, I refuse to say more in fear of releasing spoilers!!
Anyway, I think the underlying stories of each of the characters were well thought of and the whole story in itself, very touching and delivered with both empathy and humour in good measure so preventing readers from drowning in sorrow or being torn apart by heartbreak.
At some point, the author introduces a few twists to the story, adding a bit of thriller that just compels you to read on and think!!! The ending was worth every struggle through the sometimes overbearing fairytales!!
This book is worth every penny and time spent on it!! It should be in the running for bestseller and would make a great film!!

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28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wonderfully engaging, great story well read.

As the story unfolds it grips you, a wonderful complex story which keeps you interested to the last 'page'. The narration is delightful.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great story with memorable characters

Would you consider the audio edition of My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises to be better than the print version?

Yes - the storyline is creative and imaginative which is so much more fun to listen to, than read. The style of writing is conversational, too which is better to listen to. The narrator fits perfectly with the style of the novel.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and imaginary elements - a very true representation of the things parents and grandparents do to reassure children.

Have you listened to any of Joan Walker’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven't before but would listen to other performances by her.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The relationship between Elsa and Granny is one that a lot of people could relate to - I didn't cry but I did laugh out loud and smile at the anecdotes.

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17 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I loved a Man Called Ove, this doesn't come close.

I listened to A Man Called Ove and loved it, so thought I'd try this - I've had to give up listening as I'm finding it utterly tedious. Just my opinion, but it's not particularly funny and it's not resonating with me.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A roller coaster of emotions.

Was initially a little dubious but tend to listen to different books than I would read, so gave it a go. Amazing book, I have laughed out loud and sobbed my heart out in the same minute. Fabulous. Would recommend to everyone.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Heartwarming

I wasn't overwhelmed by the story but it's a heartwarming listen and told from an interesting perspective. If only my family were as unique!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Really different story beautifully told.

It feels a bit like teen fiction but it is not. It Ida complex plot of relationships, fear. But mostly it is about a grand mothers love and loving being different.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Great story, perfectly read! It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster though, very funny and also deeply sad in the very same breath.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

lovely

I enjoyed this very much. There were maybe one or two many references to Harry Potter.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very good

At first I thought this was going to be too much like a children's book but soon came to love and need to know the full story 😄

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7 people found this helpful